Let’s stop political violence THE last by-elections that were held in Mangango were riddled with pockets of political violence which saw cadres from some political parties clash. We hope that as Zambia prepares for five parliamentary by-elections there shall be no repeat of political violence. Ever since the PF ascended to power, there have been several parliamentary by-elections but not all of them have witnessed electoral and political violence which is now rearing its ugly head. We are condemning the violence that is now characterising some of our by-elections because violence is unnecessary and can be avoided if only some political leaders and party cadres adhere to electoral rules. Zambia has had about 21 by-elections since 2011 but out of these, the Mfumbwe, Livingstone, Rufunsa, Mukaika and the most recent Mangango parliamentary by-elections were the most violent. We are hoping that there will not be a repeat of the violence that flared up in Mangango and these other four constituencies so that voters can elect their representatives in a peaceful environment without any intimidation. There are a number of factors which some political observers and other civil society organisations have identified as being the major causes of political violence during elections. “Renting” political cadres from urban areas to rural areas has been identified as a major cause of political tension which eventually contributes to violent confrontations. During the Mangango by-election the Electoral Commission of Zambia observed that some political candidates, supporters and aspirants were engaging in smear campaigns with the potential of rising tensions. Then tensions also arise when any party is suspected of using certain facilities which it is not entitled to or using officers who should not be part of the campaign team such as traditional leaders. It is therefore very important that political leaders must desist from tolerating actions that can adversely irritate the other competing camps as a way of defusing tensions. The tendency by some cadres to try and block other parties from holding meetings can also lead to violent confrontations. We are hoping that police have learnt from their previous experiences so that they can deploy enough personnel on the ground to prevent violence from erupting during the forthcoming elections. After the Mangango by-elections where some skirmishes between competing parties emerged, we are looking forward to peaceful elections. However, while police will be on the ground to prevent violence, the onus also remains with certain political leaders and aspirants to enlighten their cadres on avoiding conflicts. Political violence has mostly been strange to Zambia after changing four presidents since gaining independence in 1964. It is therefore important that opposition leaders and those in the ruling party urge their cadres to avoid provoking each other so that the country continues holding peaceful elections. The current pockets of violence erupting during by-elections will only be a disservice to our democracy and discourage people from voting. We are therefore urging all parties participating in the Zambezi West, Vubwi, Kasenengwa, Mkushi South and Solwezi Central to not just preach peace in their statements but also to walk the talk and discourage violence and politics of confrontation.
Posted on: Thu, 04 Sep 2014 06:58:28 +0000